|
Scrimmage notes and thinking fast |
|
|
|
|
|
Let's touch on a few observations from training camp 2.0 before I dive into the meat of this blog.
First off, I have been really impressed with how Jeremy Colliton has been running his camp. I haven't checked in on other teams to compare, however, I think Coach Colliton is doing all of the right things.
The 35-year old coach is putting the Blackhawks through high-intensity and grueling skates.
At the beginning of the camp, he focused on individual skills and bag skates to get everyone back into things.
Then, he introduced the scrimmage, which ChicagoBlackhawks.com have been streaming. While they are just practices, it's been great to see the closest thing to a Blackhawks game since March.
Here are a few guys that have stood out so far have been:
* L2 – The entire line of Kane, Strome, and Nylander has been on fire offensively so far. Nylander specifically looks like he is playing with more confidence. He's progression could be key to the Hawks' top 6 in the near and long-term future.
* Kirby Dach – Dude is on a mission. He is skating like the wind and commanding the puck. That line of Dach, Kubalik, and Caggiula has been very solid and could be an X-Factor in Edmonton.
* The Drake – Speaking of Caggiula, he looks great. He's already claimed he's ready for playoff hockey and will have something to prove against his former team who felt he was only worth Brandon Manning. I'd be ticked off and motivated too.
Now on the flip side, the concerns with this team start and end with Corey Crawford. He's still absent and if he can return this week as NBC Chicago reported as a possibility, Crow may be able to get up to speed in time.
Additional question marks are Connor Murphy who has been ruled unfit to play for most of last week. No idea on his return.
Also, Calvin de Haan is taking care of a family emergency and I hope all is well with him and his fam. I suspect he will be back at some point but there's no telling at this time.
There are many others that I could highlight, but I wanted to just call out these guys quickly.
Now, on the main event; Theo and I have been chatting a lot lately, and as you know, Theo filled in for me when I was on vacation.
He did an amazing job and had an idea for a blog that I told him he had to write.
It's all about thinking fast vs. speed itself.
We all know Victor Stalberg was a speed-demon, but more times than not, he looked like Luis Mendoza from The Mighty Ducks movie.
Then, there are players like Brent Sopel and Michal Rozsival, as Theo touches on below, who weren't the fleetest of foot, but had the smarts to carve out long NHL careers.
I like this theme as it relates to where we are today; Blackhawks players will need to rely on those smarts more than they ever have with a short camp and a short 5-game play-in series.
Without further ado… Theodore Fox presents, "Think Fast":
It is often lamented that prospects will struggle at the pro level if their skating has much room for improvement.
Sometimes that improvement needs to be with fundamentals.
Sometimes it's about agility.
But sometimes -- particularly for fans -- it's all about speed.
Mechanics are often fixable and prospects may not progress through the ranks if they struggle to execute the basics.
However, if prospects aren't fast and nimble, are they doomed to fail in securing stable employment in the NHL?
--
In an article in the Hockey News 2020 Future Watch magazine, NHL analyst Craig Button had this to say:
"Patrick Kane says this all the time: 'Yes, the game is faster, but you still have to be able to slow it down.' The only way you can slow it down is by having a fast brain."
This quote was referring to the Wild's top prospect Kirill Kaprizov but can be extrapolated to other teams' prospects, too.
Every player can't be expected to be a speed merchant. Even elite players don't all move at warp speed.
Another unit of measure is what many scouts term as the "first three strides" which one translation is whether a player can keep up with the play starting from a standstill.
This quickness can definitely help but even a slow skater who can't keep up with every play can still be effective.
How?
One way is to position yourself at the right place on the ice to make simple and smart plays in all zones. This is where fundamentals in skating and playing are critical.
Sopel and Rozsival are examples of less than ideal skaters who still proved useful for many Cup contending teams. Not the prettiest to watch but they could lock it down defensively due to hockey IQ.
On the other end is a player like Fortin. While he can skate like the wind, he would run out of track and didn't know what to do once he got to his destination. Thankfully, he is learning to adjust his gears to match game situations.
Often accused of the same thing as Fortin, Saad has speed to burn but will occasionally not realize what options he has once he gets from Point A to Point B then make a play that may not have been the most optimal.
This is where Kane's quote makes sense. Speed isn't everything. What matters more is being able to process the game fast no matter the tempo of the game and make the prime choice given the circumstances.
--
In present-day Blackhawks fandom, there seems to be two whipping boys when it comes to lack of speed and agility: Strome up front and Seabrook on the back end.
Strome oozes offensive skill but gets flack for not being the strongest skater. His defensive coverage is a sore spot, too, but that's for another conversation.
Because of this skating deficiency, is Strome destined to be a bust as a former 3rd overall pick?
As long as he can leverage his assets and be surrounded by linemates who complement him, Strome can still emerge as an impact top 6 center. He has good hockey sense and great vision which can help him think the game quickly.
Then there's Seabrook who has increasingly been deemed as washed up because he allegedly can't keep up with the play anymore which renders him useless as a defenseman.
Will the surgeries and rehab add years to Seabrook's playing career where he can now magically be a fleet-footed shut-down defender?
Seabrook doesn't need to have spring in his step to be effective. Remember Sopel and Rozsival? If Seabrook can think the game fast to put himself in the best positions on the ice to play angles, manage gaps, and close off lanes, then he can be a key cog in the defense.
--
Bringing this blog full circle, let's go back to the youngsters and their skating aptitude.
Highmore is a player who is ultra swift on his skates yet can also make good decisions at the same rate which can aid in his capacity to shut down the other team as a fearless grinder.
Hagel is the same way despite having a higher ceiling offensively. During his last two seasons at Red Deer, Hagel committed himself to improved play without the puck. Being reliable defensively requires intelligence and quick thinking.
Soderlund is the fastest out of this trio. What I love about his full-throttle style is that he scans the ice to see his options so he can create plays for himself and his mates. That also requires a fast brain.
Although not as fast as the other three, Kubalik, Sikura, Kurashev, Entwistle, Carlsson, Beaudin, Mitchell, and Krys are heady, nimble skaters who make smart plays expediently due to their hockey sense and vision.
The book on Barratt and Teply notably includes question marks about their skating. Barratt isn't quick enough and Teply needs to gain his first three strides.
Both bring a lot of pluses to the rink, though, and they can excel at the next level if thinking fast is one of those pluses. And if they can also enhance their skating, even better.
--
In the 2020 draft and beyond, an essential consideration for best player available at whatever spot in the draft order should be the speed at which they can process the game.
Skating inadequacies are easier to fix. Solid positional hockey can be learned. Thinking fast? Not so much. Doable but difficult.
---
Thanks, Theo, great work!
Also, Theo has joined Twitter (@theofoxhockey) and is offering some great opinions over there. Give him a follow:
That's all I/We have for now.
Stay safe and see ya out there!
TC
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»